An Ohio transplant exploring the West Coast

First off, a new look and feel. For me, this has been a long time coming. As time goes on, people change and naturally, so do blogs. For me, this blog is a labor of love, hard work and dedication. So, for a few years – the format of the site was pretty stagnant. Looking to switch things up, I worked with the amazing women (Chelcie and Anastasia) of Featherstone and Company to totally redesign my blog and give it a major facelift.

Seriously, these women are AMAZING. No joke. I’ve counted on them for not only the design, but for help on tech questions, formatting, and everything in between. I’m so excited that I had the opportunity to work with this company and want to know something that makes this even sweeter? They are from Ohio. Now if that’s not destiny, I don’t know what is. 🙂

And if we’re on a roll talking about change, well…I’m sharing something super near and dear to my heart as of late – health. I’ve been working at my current job for around a year and for the first time in my career, I didn’t have to worry about bringing breakfast, lunch OR dinner. First off, this is amazing and I’m so insanely grateful to be treated so well by my employer. Second, this led to a lot of temptation. I’ve always loved eating (obviously) so getting seconds for lunch or grabbing a cup too many peanut butter pretzels felt natural. The thing was – I wasn’t that hungry. I ate because it was in front of me.

So, after a year…I felt a little sluggish. A little heavier. And well, not so great. I’ve been a member at a lot of gyms, but nothing really stuck. So, eventually I tried ClassPass and my world changed. I took classes (a lot of classes) and figured out what I loved, what I didn’t, and what was out of my comfort zone.

Introducing Uforia. I always loved cycling, but I found my groove (quite literally) at Uforia’s Revolutions, a 45-minute spin class that combines badass music and amazing bikes. I go around twice a week and can’t get enough!

If cycling isn’t your bag, don’t fret – Uforia features two additional classes that offer a little something for everyone.

GRIT is high-intensity cardio that features weights, reps (a lot of ’em!) and stepping. It’s great for the person who wants to move, work every part of your body and build long and lean muscles.

The next is hip-hop and to be honest, this one was WAY out of my comfort zone. I don’t have a lot of rhythm, but if you’re willing to step out of your normal routine, this one is AWESOME. Made for every level, you get as full body workout all in an hour.

And you know what? I was a little hesitant to take these photos, but this is real guys. I actually worked out and took photos after. I may not look like the prettiest girl in the world, but I felt like a badass in the moment – blame the endorphins. Also, who looks amazing after working out? If you know the secret, let me know.

So, have I piqued your interest in taking a class yet? Enter the promo code TOT for a free class (up to $25 value!) at Uforia. AMAZING!

The weekend sure catches up with you, doesn’t it? This week/end was a little chaotic and like life, was filled with some really happy moments and some sad ones.

Earlier in the week, I had the opportunity to hang with the Hush Puppies team and enjoy a Fall brunch with them at Belga. I love their new Fall line and it was the perfect introduction to the season – even if it’s 90 degrees in San Francisco at the moment. And a great way to beat the heat? Cocktails from Palm House. Always.

Ran the OU 5k by the Bay with Ohio University Alumni in San Francisco. Needless to say from the pictures, Andi and I were definitely spirited. We also celebrated my sista and fellow Bobcat’s birthday in Oakland. We sipped beers and celebrated at Temescal Brewery and if you haven’t been, it’s AWESOME. And…FREE POPCORN!

With the good, also comes the sad. Ittai’s grandmother passed away in Israel over the weekend, so please send some good energy his family’s way. I know it’ll help. 🙂

Happy Friday! Hope you had a great week and are stoked about the weekend – I know I am. I’m all about traditions and this brings me to one of my favorites – Friday night date night.

Whether it’s with Ittai or my closest friends, I love to go out to dinner, relax and welcome the weekend with a cocktail (or two).

Often times I go to my usual haunts in the city and never really steer too far away from the uncomfortable. But when I had the opportunity to go to Berkeley last weekend to check out FIVE, well, I couldn’t pass it up.

A lot of people make the Manhattan/Brooklyn comparison when it comes to Berkeley, but if you’ve been to the East Bay, you know it’s pretty effortless.

Nestled in the heart of North Berkeley, FIVE is located inside Hotel Shattuck and right off Shattuck Street. The interior is super modern and inviting and the food follows suit.

Executive Chef Stephane Tonnelier brings his expertise to each dish with subtle hints of his background as a chef in France. We started off with the Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits (nom!) and the Baby Beet Salad that were the perfect gateway into the entrees. Pro Tip: The salads are huge so splitting is a great way to go! I suggest the Baby Beet Salad for it’s delicious watermelon and Humboldt goat cheese.

For my main entree I had the Spring Nettle Ravioli that was filled with the most delicious english pea & cauliflower mascarpone and Ittai had the Grilled Porkchop with eggplant puree.

Finished off with a trio of delectable desserts, we left stuffed and oh so happy. And while the food was excellent, the service was even more so. Will, our waiter was one of the nicest servers (and people!) I have ever met. He’s an East Bay native and has worked at FIVE for several years – a testament to how special the place truly is.

So, what are you waiting for? Be a little adventurous. Catch BART, head to the East Bay and get yourself to FIVE.

When I was a kid, my mom and I would drive together a lot. Let’s rephrase that – she drove me. And I mean everywhere.

Sometimes it was to dinner, lunch, to go shopping, etc. Whatever it was, it was always interesting. Sometimes we’d sit in silence and listen to NPR or sometimes we’d talk about life. Her life. My life. You know how it is. And one of things I loved to hear most were stories about her life when she was my age.

I heard a lot, but what I remember distinctly was that she said she was a “flower child.” A bohemian. Obsessed with The Who and bell bottoms. It was the 60s after all. So, when I saw this dress after making a wrong turn at Target, I fell in love. Maybe our love for florals and retro prints is genetic. You know, “Like mother, like daughter.” Whatever it is, I think I’m living up to the 60s version of my mom pretty well.

San Francisco is FINALLY having its summer and I’m embracing it as much as I can. Now, being a Midwesterner, I’ve always experienced humid, muggy summers that are almost unbearable. In this city, however, summer is always sunny, never muggy, and around the perfect temperature – 78 degrees give or take. It’s beautiful and all you want to do is frolic outside.

So, that’s what I did. Saturday morning adventures to Durant & Booth (more to come!), Friday date night with Ittai at FIVE (more to come part 2!), dinner with friends, and spent the majority of my time outside. It was perfect.

I’m going to take a quick poll. How often have you hit the snooze on your alarm in the morning? Once, twice, three times? Well, if you said “yes”…join the club. My 6 a.m. wakeup call is pretty early and the last thing I want to do that early in the morning is fuss around my room trying to figure out something cute to wear.

During these mornings (and every morning, really) I usually default with what I know works well and what I feel super comfortable in – horizontal stripes. My love for horizontal stripes runs deep (15 pieces of clothing and counting – it’s bad, y’all). I often times find that horizontal stripes are even more versatile than the color black. Whether you pair it with a military-inspired jacket, rock it with a floral skirt or anything in between, most of the time it works – and it works so damn well. That’s why I’m so excited to share how I teamed up with Old Navy to show you how this classic tee is anything but basic.

I’ve always been drawn to darker colors, so when I found this Relaxed Heavy-Knit Boat-Neck Tee in navy, I knew I had to snatch it up asap! After all, it’s a staple! I knew I could pair the look with jeans no problem, but I wanted to try and create an outfit that could take me from work to happy hour.

Channeling my inner Midwesterner, I chose to rock these ultra-comfy Skinny Denim Overalls in a lighter wash to contrast the darkness in my top. Since I’m pretty short, I rolled the legs a bit to give it a little personality and show off my mules. When wearing overalls, I try to stick to a shoe that gives me a little height, so I love these heeled mules that are not only comfortable, but super cute.

Living in San Francisco the weather is super unpredictable and bringing a jacket is a must. I usually switch off and on between heavy and lightweight jackets, but have found my sweet spot in this black denim. For a pulled together look (quite literally), I tie it around my waist for added dimension and to give the overalls some structure.

For some additional personality, I took an old red bandana and tied it around my neck to give the outfit a pop of color. After I’m done with work, I turn in my work bag for this Double-Zip Crossbody and am ready for happy hour in a flash!